Crossfire ~ {Book 2 in the Emerald of Annihilation Trilogy} #Wattys2017

Chapter 6~Regret

Adrenalin pumped through My veins as I barrelled down the street. Boy, I was lucky no cops were on duty around that part of town. Even if there was....they wouldn't have been able to catch me. 

I flew down the neighbourhood and screeched into her driveway. "This is not happening...." I leaped out of the car and streaked for the house. "Dad?!" I ran frantically though the door and through the house. 

"Lily!" I saw him. Standing with Aunt Grace,  Uncle Jack's wife, at the foot of the stairs. I crashed into his arms. "W-what happened?" I demanded. Dad's neon green eyes were sad and red from crying. Aunt Grace seemed more controlled. 

"Lily....maybe you should sit down." Aunt Grace pushed my gently to the sitting room, where I took a seat on the sofa. "So what happened?" Dad cleared his throat. "Well.....a little after you left...your mother went out to meet your Uncle Jack....to talk she said." I nodded, wanting him to continue. 

dad glanced over at Aunt Grace. She nodded. He continued. "When time past and she didn't come back, I started to worry. I called her....texted her... She never responded. I called your Aunt. She said she'd done the same with Jack. 

I felt the blood drain from my face. "Y-you don't know where they went?" Aunt Grace shook her head. "Your Uncle told me they were going downtown to talk. He never told me the exact place or address." I nodded. Tears threatened to fall, but I held them in. 

If I never saw mom again.... The thought beat at my emotions. The last time I spoke to mom.....I had yelled and shouted.....and.....

I broke down as the last words I spoke to her began to haunt me.... 

"I hate you..." 

"Lily?" Dad touched my shoulder. I whimpered and stood. "D-Dad.....can I be alone for a while?" He nodded. "Sure thing, baby girl." I walked up to my room slowly, thinking. I heard sobbing coming from my brother's room. I froze in my tracks, sighing. I turned and opened his door. "Buck?" I stepped in, and saw him curled on his bed, sobbing like a newborn. 

He looked up, and sniffed. "L-Lily?" I smiled  little and sat on the bed beside him. "Hey, lil' bro." I opened my arms, and he fell into them, sobbing once more. "I-Is mom.....going to come back?" He whimpered, clutching my jacket as if it was a life line. 

"I'm sure she will, buck." He began to calm down. "How do you know?" I chuckled softly. "Do you remember all those stories she used to tell us when we were kids? Of how she saved the wold countless times?" He nodded. 

I brushed back his hair. "Well....this could be just like those times. She'll always come back." He shook his head. "You have to remember, Lily.....in all those stories....someone dies....someone doesn't come home....what if this time....it's mom who doesn't make it?" 

~~~~~~~~

I waited till Buck had fallen asleep till I left to go to my room. The sun was setting and I could hear dad and Aunt Grace talking quietly downstairs. I stared up at my ceiling and rested my arms behind my head. 

I glared up at the wall in the sky as I mentally beat up myself. Suddenly my phone chimed, indicating a text message. I turned my head and lazily reached for my phone which lay on the desk beside the bed. 

Finally it wafted into my palm and I unlocked the screen, flipping to the group chat shared by me, Henry, Mark, and the twins; Amber and Jay. 

Jay: Guys, where is Lily? I haven't head from her in a long time.

Mark: She said she was....having family problems.

Amber: Lil' miss perfect? having problems? 

Henry: I'm sure she's fine. my dad was talking to her mom just yesterday. he said everything seemed fine.

my lip curled a little. "That was yesterday." I thought. I scrolled down and whipped my fingers across the tiny keyboard. 

Lily: Guys. I'm fine. Just a couple things needed to be dealt with. 

I didn't want them to worry. We'd all grew up together. We were close friends, but I didn't want them being pulled into my problems. 

Henry: Are you sure, Lil? We don't want to find out otherwise.

Jay: Yeah! We're here for you, Lily!

Mark: Dito!

Amber: Just tell us what's going on. 

I smiled at their loyalty, and typed back. 

Lily: Guys, really. I'm fine. Don't worry about me.

Henry's text came back almost immediately. 

Henry: If you don't tell us, we'll call your boyfriend and get him to get this cat out of it's bag.

I laughed. He had to be so demanding. All of them! I sighed. This was serious....but I trusted them. I sighed deeply before typing again. 

Lily: Mom and Uncle Jack are missing. They never returned after meeting up downtown. Dad's devastated. 

I tossed the phone to the side and flopped down, my face in my pillow, where I screamed in frustration. 

It took some time, but finally the phone chimed. 

Henry: See that wasn't so hard right???

Henry: Wait- WHAT?!

Amber: Are you serious? Or are you playing with us???

Mark: Does she look like she's joking?!

Jay: To be technical, we can't really see her....

Amber: No one asked you, dorkus!

Jay: Hey!

I sighed, and hung my head. They were all dorks.....but I loved them. 

Lily: Yes, I'm serious. 

Mark: Are you ok? Do you need me to come over?

Jay: You are not her boyfriend dude!

Lily: Guys, I'm fine, but can we meet up in the morning? At the cafe where Dylan works?

Amber: Sure thing, Lil. We'll be there. 

Jay: Yup! :)

Henry: I'll see if i can make it.

Mark: I'll be there. 

I smiled. These were the very best friends a person could ever ask for. 

Lily: Thanks guys. Good night. 

I tossed the phone to the desk and pulled up my blankets. Why did this pain in my heart still ache?! Oh yeah....because I may never see my mom again! Or Uncle Jack, who'd been like a second father to me. 

I started to fall asleep, sighing and falling asleep in a heartbeat.